Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-29
Is THE RIVER RUNNING DRY?

A SERIOUS Question which is Agitat- |
ing some Minds concerning the
Mississippi - Gradually Getting
lower.
ut is question which has been in my
mind for some time. and one that has
caused serious contemplation, too, said
an observing citizen to an ARGUS report-
er the other evening, ''as to whether OF
not there will be water famine here
some day; when say this. l don't mean
liz the very far away distant future,
either, but in very few years from now
l don't say this for the sake of exciting
undue anxiety, nor is it an idle fancy TO
my mind, but speak upon the proofs
of investigation and constant observa-
ton"
The Mississippi is getting lower every
year. Is not that a fact2 ! imagine |
that no one will deny that assertion, who |
is at all posted. If the once great river
and great, vet l concede-continues to
decline yearly as it has in the last quar-
ter of century, what are we going TO
do after while for water?'
Eyes, and what will the prohibitionists
do for an argument" put in by,stander
anxious to say something cute.
That need not worry you in the
least" returned the interrupted converse
tionalist, and he continued his address to
the reporter. You must have observed
how rapidly the small streams all over
this section have dried up in late years.
We don't hear of the overfows and
| foods that we used to. For instance,
! where live out on the bluff. few years
ago a stream of clear and sparkling water
flowed constantly through the ravines
few blocks from my house. Now there
7 is scarcely any water there at all. The
e grass is parched as anywhere on the
: prairie, and what little water there is. is
in p0ols-and stagnsnt."
: ITO go further, said the speaker be-
coming enthusiastic, is Rock river what
+ it once VAST Do we hear any more of
a that stream getting rampant, OVERLOOKING
+ its banks and flooding property Look
at the Wapsie Once river of consider.
e able importsnce-now it is a mere
i. stream. Lock at Duck creek also on the
e Iowa side. There will not be such q
:. stream known in few years. At one time
o in my memory, it afforded good fishing al
n many places. No fish there now guess
s But to return to the Mississippi. The
tie landmarks of time show where the shorel
> of that river once were. Go back on tn
a bluffs half a mile on either side of tn
s river now, and you will find where
e, once flowed in its might and magnifi
IL cence."
e, Flowed on unvexed to the sea" pu
de in the bystander again.
MS I'VE doB't want any poetry here, " re
er- torted the speaker. Abraham Lincol
he meant Just what he said when he CAV
utterance to those beautiful words, but b
e> would not be apt to have the same senti
lat ment now"
Perhaps the river has changed i
course?" ventured the reporter. who, fl
wonder. had held his peace until nov
The river may have changed
50 course a trihe, but not sufficient to sho
the extent of territory the land marks il
dictate. Why, once the Mississippi VI
~ three miles wide here"
"A few centuries before Colupbu. VI
10 born" clipped in the bystander.
But the speaker paid no heed to tt
interruption this time, and he went o
. "The Mississippi is going dry. There
no doubt in my mind about that, and
you and don't live to see the day VIII
'nu water ceases to flow in the present cha
'"e mel, the time will come within our know
'eS edge when it will not be navigable Il
~ far north
"To what do you attribute this conc
'oie ton of the river?"
First and above all, to the increase
.op' the seasons of dryness. Furthermo
,D'N to the advance in agriculture near I
head waters of navigation. As the s
Wv is upturned it absorbs large portion
'"s the moisture which would otherwise
into the river. If the river is I
supplied with water at its source, /
nee. stream diminishes until it disappears t
nice tirely."
,ires But at this juncture a car on the \
rger line Il Rock Island road approached &
re. the citizen boarded ii for home, will
ing tountenance that betrayed deep conce
over the subject which he had been q
urth oussing. Il will talk to you again
nice this subject, but don't say anything abb
ling it in the paper, he said, as the car mo